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Permanent LinkSenator Bass Van Gilst View All Years
BASS VAN GILST
Senator Bass Van Gilst was born April 14, 1911, in Marion County north of Pella, Iowa. He passed away at his home in Oskaloosa on December 2, 1996, at the age of 85 years. His parents were Peter and Nellie Van Gilst. He married Harriet DeBruin on November 26, 1937. They became the parents of three sons, Kenneth Van Gilst of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Carl Van Gilst of Goshen, Indiana, and Mark Van Gilst of Newark, Delaware; three daughters, Elaine Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa, Diane Van Wyngarden of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Joleen Vanderheide of Kitchener, Ontario, Candada. He was grandfather to twenty-four grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren.
Senator Van Gilst farmed in Southeast Mahaska County. He served on the Iowa Board of Regents. He was a member of Cedar Christian Reformed Church, Oskaloosa Lions Club, Farm Bureau, Oskaloosa Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Mahaska County Habitat for Humanity and Mahaska County Historical Society.
Senator Van Gislt began his political career in 1964 when he was elected to the Iowa Senate from Mahaska County and served until 1984, serving in the sixty-first, sixty-second, sixty-third, sixty-fourth, sixty-fifth, sixty-sixth, sixty-seventh, sixty-seventh X, sixty-eighth, sixty-ninth, sixty-ninth X and seventieth General Assemblies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE SEVENTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Bass Van Gilst, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and that the State by this Resolution, expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.
DON E. GETTINGS, Chair
H. KAY HEDGE
PATTY JUDGE
Committee